Pakistan temple attack prompts blasphemy case

A young Christian girl was accused of burning pages of the Quran was freed from jail earlier this month [AFP]

Pakistani police say they have registered a blasphemy case against nine Muslims suspected of attacking a Hindu temple in the port city of Karachi.

Police officer Mohammad Hanif said on Sunday that Muslims protesting against an anti-Islam video on September 21 had ransacked the Sri Krishna Ram temple in a Hindu neighbourhood on the outskirts of the southern Pakistani city.

They allegedly broke Hindu statues, damaged a holy book and beat the custodian.

They also ransacked nearby houses where members of the Hindu community reside, and looted jewellery and other valuables.

A cleric is among the suspects, but none was arrested as of Sunday.

The case is fairly unusual as Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws are more often invoked against alleged insults to Islam, not minority faiths.

The laws, sections of which carry the death penalty or life imprisonment, have faced international scrutiny this year after a young Christian girl was accused of desecrating the Quran in the capital, Islamabad.

The girl was released from prison after an imam was remanded in custody for allegedly planting burned pages of the Quran in the girl's bag.